The Darkening of Men
by Tinfang Warble
Summary: The corruption of Men by Morgoth and their eventual escape from his thralldom


The Seed of the Shadow

In the West of Beleriand the Armies of the Noldor had won the Battle Under the Stars, yet they had to bear the loss of their High King Feanor at the hands of the Balrogs, the capture of his son Maedhros by Morgoth and the estrangement between the armies of Fingolfin and the sons of Feanor. When the battle had been won, the Moon rose for the first time, providing light to Middle Earth for the first time since the death of the Trees and the Elves rejoiced, taking it as a sign that the Valar had not forsaken them wholly. However, when the Elves witnessed the first Sunrise, and all the world was ablaze in it's light and heat and even the stars were blotted out by it's brightness, they saw with their foresight that their time was ending and the dominion of the Second Born was beginning.

Far in the East, in a land which was afterwards known as Hildorien, was a mountain range made by the mind of Aule, which Morgoth had not marred. Nowhere to be seen were reeking volcanos, impassable cliffs, sharp glass-like rubble and arid plains of dust. This was a land of mighty, snowcapped peaks, with ancient trees, quiet meadows, secret valleys and shaded caves filled with clean sand and stone, with mountain streams and hidden springs, made for the delight of the Children of Illuvatar.

With the rising of the Moon and the Sun, the Sleep of Yananna was lifted and many of the living things that had been in slumber since the destruction of the Lamps now stirred and began to grow once more. Trees began to sprout new leaves, flowers began to bloom, seed sprouted and grasslands began to explode in lushness.

Then the Illuvatar too, did lift _his_ sleep from his Second Born children, and they awoke to the first sunrise.

They were born innocent and clean- no speech, art or songs, yet at the same time free of envy, pride and greed. This was quite unlike the Quendi, who had known their speech the moment of their awakening, yet were prideful from their first breath. It was indeed the intent of Eru Illuvatar that this should be so, for he had wanted his Secondborn to learn from the First, so that when the Elves were weary and forsook the world, Men could inherit their legacy and preserve their memory upon Middle Earth, albeit in a form that could endure the years of the Sun.

They awoke in one of the biggest caverns in the mountains- vast yet not deep and separated from the underground tunnels of Morgoth. They awoke near the entrance of the cave, all at once as soon as the Sun shined upon their eyes. There were 500 of them, men and women of equal numbers, and they lay upon the cool, soft sand, drinking in the wonder of their awakening. After a little time some, then all of them were upon their feet, looking around, touch the sand on the floor, the rocky walls and the boulders near the entrance. Soon they had wandered outside. The first sunrise was in the West, and it's glow was initially weak as it was blocked by the Pelori mountains. The Men stared into the golden light glowing in that direction in wonder and awe, but as the Sun rose higher and it's brightness intensified they could not bear to look and turned away.

Yet the wonder of Arda was set about them and their first day they spent in a frenzy of learning- touching, seeing, smelling and hearing the mighty trees, the fragrant flowers, the secret animals and the melody of birds.

The first Day wore on, and many times the Sun and the Moon were in the sky at once, as they traversed from East to West in alternation. In this brightness, the spies and servants of Morgoth had been chased away from the surface of Arda and were now hidden in the shadows and dark hideouts. Yet they still eavesdropped upon the newly lit world, waiting for the return of the night, whence they would bring tidings to their master.

In those first days, both the Sun and Moon were in the sky together, and all darkness had been banished. However, the Valar realized they had also banished sleep and rest and the Elves were saddened because they could no longer see the stars. Therefore they set the Sun and Moon to traverse at alternate times, so that when the Moon was in sky there would only be soft, silver light which would let the stars shine, and allow the rest that comes with night but with enough glow to diminish the terror of Morgoth.

Yet it was relief enough for the servants of darkness to travel abroad, to spread whispers and reports of distant lands, till at last they reached the ears of Morgoth, and for the last time he set forth from his fortress of Angband, to seek the newly born Men.

When night fell, the merriment of Men had ended and they fell into a quiet trance as they gazed upon the first time. However, in the darkest hour there was a sudden burst of brightness and a new hue of light lit the mountains of their birth- less intense than the sun, but exceeding the Moon in beauty. They were filled with wonder and looked for the source, enraptured. This was the light of the Silmarills, the jewels of Feanor and in them was captured the holy light the Trees, and in their warmth, Men felt the bliss of Valinor. Yet all too soon a darkness reached forth from behind the Silmarills and Morgoth made himself known- and Men perceived the terrible visage of the first Dark Lord.

The first words ever spoken to the Secondborn were not in the fair tongues of Elves, rather they were in the harsh and ancient language of the Ainur- Valarin, spoken to them by the Black Enemy. They understood not the speech, but in his words Morgoth put forth his power and visions were conjured in front of the eyes of the innocent Men. He began by telling them of the wonders of the world they had awakened to.

He sang to them of the Encircling Darkness and the Timeless Darkness that the world was set in. Of the wondrous sea, with deep secrets and mysteries. The many lands that jutted out of it, covered in mountains, plains, forests and rivers; deserts, tundras and volcanoes. He sang of the sky and the stars, of how their light was the same as that of the Silmarils he wore.

Morgoth sang this time of creation, of the Music of the Ainur and for the only time, Men heard verses from the Ainulindale, composed before the beginning of Time. They understood how the world they lived in was the Music given life by the Illuvatar, and in its notes were written all there had been, all that was and all that was to be – and Morgoth, having been a player in the orchestra had knowledge of the Music and thus had a deep understanding of Arda and Time.

Then he sang, of the Elves and their history- of their birth in the waters of Cuivinen, of their sundering into the Eldar, Sindar and Avari when some went to Valinor, some stopped at the coasts and some refused to leave their first homes in the heart of Middle Earth. Men learnt, that the Elves had begun to fade and the world would soon be _their_ dominion.

Then said Morgoth, to the mothers and fathers of Men, in the tongue of the Valar, "I am Melkor, first and foremost of the Valar, mightiest of all Ainur, the firstborn of Eru Illuvatar. I am the Shaper of Arda, master of light, bringer of darkness. Put your fate into my hands Secondborn, and I will give you the world. Else, beware the Night!"

With the last word he put forth his power and the Silmarils dimmed to mere specks of light, the stars were shut out and the Moon was erased. Morgoth had cast his Shadow- physical, tangible, permeating darkness. The Secondborn felt fear for the first time, and in their anguish they wailed for relief. Then the stars returned, the Moon smiled and the darkness became transparent- a mere absence of light, rather than an oppressive presence. Morgoth had returned to Angband, but his Shadown lay on the hearts of Men.


End file.
